Sandy Hook Ride On Washington Set To Depart From Newtown On March 9th

NEWTOWN, Conn., March 4, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is being released by 463 Communications:

On March 9that 8:30 a.m. ET, Newtown, CT will be sending off a team of 26 cyclists, who will ride 400 miles in 4 days, from Newtown to the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC. The community will meet at Reed Intermediate School (3 Trades Lane, Newtown, Ct.) for an event that will be hosted by First Selectman Pat Llodra and will include U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn), U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn), U.S. Representative Elizabeth Esty (CT-5) and U.S. Representative Jim Himes (CT-4) among others. The Sandy Hook Ride on Washington aims to memorialize those senselessly killed at the Sandy Hook School by raising awareness about the immediate need for gun safety legislation.

The riders will begin their journey on March 9th with the Newtown event followed by a stop in Ridgefield, Ct. at 11 a.m. (Veterans' Park Elementary School, 8 Governor St., Ridgefield, Ct.). The Ridgefield stop will be hosted by U.S. Representative Himes and First Selectman Rudy Marconi. Representative Himes and First Selectman Matthew Knickerbocker (Bethel) will be riding with Team 26 from Newtown to Ridgefield.

The riders are a mix of professional, top amateur, and masters cyclists from throughout the Northeast. The team includes a former U.S. National Team member, Canadian National Team member, Masters National Champion, and State and Regional Champions. Throughout the journey, the riders will be accompanied by a Newtown police motorcycle with stops in cities and towns along the way.

Three members of the riding team are from Newtown, including Monte Frank, Bill Muzzio and Chris Peck. Two of the riders have children who went to the Sandy Hook School and the team includes parents, teachers, a Newtown Police Officer and a Vietnam Veteran.

Specifically, the riders support common sense measures to help curb gun violence:

Requiring all gun buyers pass criminal background checks.

Instituting a ban of military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.

Making gun trafficking a federal crime, including real penalties for "straw buyers."

Strengthening gun ownership restrictions for people with severe mental illness.

The riders will arrive in Washington, DC for a major press conference on the steps of the U.S. Capitol at 1 p.m. on March 12.

For more information on the rally, the riders and the four-day Sandy Hook Ride on Washington, please check the ride's Facebook page